So you’ve finished writing your play, and maybe even put on a few productions. Now you’re ready to take the next step and get your play published.
Publishing your play can bring more opportunities for others to acquire the licensing needed to host their own productions of your play (which means more royalties and recognition for you), while also growing your audience. In this post, we’ll show you 15 publishers ready to take on your work.
Play Publishers Accepting Submissions
Below are 15 play publishers that are currently accepting submissions. Note that while most are open to unsolicited submissions, a few require an agent.
1. Broadway Play Publishing Inc.
According to their website, Broadway Play Publishing Inc. generally acquires plays “after a definitive production on or Off-Broadway, or at a professional regional theater.” However, this is not a strict requirement. They primarily publish contemporary, full-length American plays.
Website: www.broadwayplaypub.com
Submission Guidelines: www.broadwayplaypub.com/submissions
Unsolicited submissions? Yes
2. Heartland Plays
Heartland Plays, Inc. publishes and licenses the performance rights of quality plays, musicals, and dramas. They publish full-length comedies and dramas, one-acts, short play collections, musicals, and more.
Website: heartlandplays.com
Submission Guidelines: heartlandplays.com/submissions/
Unsolicited submissions? Yes
3. Pioneer Drama Service
Pioneer Drama Service publishes plays with running times between 15 minutes and two hours. Submissions should be family-friendly, and writers should be open to editorial oversight. The company is particularly interested in casts with gender-neutral roles, and casts that are either balanced or favor females.
Website: www.pioneerdrama.com
Submission Guidelines: www.pioneerdrama.com/Submission_Overview
Unsolicited submissions? Yes
4. Eldridge Plays and Musicals
Since 1906, Eldridge Publishing has published hundreds of full-length plays, one-acts, melodramas, holiday plays, religious plays, children’s theatre plays, and musicals of all kinds. Submitted plays should run for at least 30 minutes. They are open to plays and musicals suitable for performance by community theaters and junior and senior high schools.
Website: www.histage.com
Submission Guidelines: www.histage.com/submission-guidelines-2
Unsolicited submissions? Yes
5. Playscripts, Inc.
Playscripts, Inc. is an independent theatrical agency that was formed in 1998 to represent represent diverse voices, styles, and stories. Currently, unsolicited submissions are not being accepted; playwrights who have been previously published by Playscripts can submit their work through their user account, and new writers may also submit through an agent or literary manager.
Website: www.playscripts.com
Submission Guidelines: www.playscripts.com/submissions
Unsolicited submissions? No; submit through an agent or literary manager.
6. Brooklyn Publishers
Brooklyn Publishers seeks powerful, well-written, yet easy-to-produce stage plays for high school, middle school, and youth theatre. They also offer the largest selection of 10-minute plays on the market.
Website: www.brookpub.com
Submission Guidelines: www.brookpub.com/default
Unsolicited submissions? Yes
7. Off the Wall Plays
Off The Wall Plays is an online play publishing house that sells and licenses plays for performance by both community theatre groups and professional theater. Their aim is to attract quality playwrights with fresh, new ideas.
Website: offthewallplays.com
Submission Guidelines: offthewallplays.com/submit-your-play-2
Unsolicited submissions? Yes, starting October 2021.
8. Plays Inverse Press
Plays Inverse Press is an independent publisher of dramatic literature. Readers can purchase titles directly from the publisher (usually for $10–$20). Anyone interested in producing one of their plays can contact the editors.
Website: www.playsinverse.com
Submission Guidelines: www.playsinverse.com/contact
Unsolicited submissions? Yes
9. Scripts for Stage
Scripts for Stage publishes anything from monologues to full-length plays for all ages. They don’t charge anything to publish a script, but are selective and need to see that there is a market for your script. They take a 10–20% commission on all sales after tax; the rest of the royalties are awarded to the playwright.
Website: scriptsforstage.co.uk
Submission Guidelines: scriptsforstage.co.uk/submissions/
Unsolicited submissions? Yes
10. Stageplays
Stageplays charges a $35 fee to publish your poem, but the fee is refunded after your play makes five sales. Future PDF sales will then be divided 50/50 between Stageplays and the playwright. Once a play sells 50 copies, they’ll offer to publish, print, promote, and sell a paperback edition.
Website: www.stageplays.com
Submission Guidelines: www.stageplays.com/publish_my_play_set_up_fee
Unsolicited submissions? Yes
11. Hominum Journal
Hominum Journal is a literary magazine that publishes online six times per year. They accept one-act plays, in addition to poems, short stories, nonfiction, song lyrics, and visual art.
Website: www.hominumjournal.org
Submission Guidelines: www.hominumjournal.org/submit
Unsolicited submissions? Yes
12. Gemini Magazine
Gemini Magazine is a literary magazine that publishes short plays on their website, along with poems, essays, memoirs, and short fiction. They pay $20 per published piece.
Website: gemini-magazine.com
Submission Guidelines: www.gemini-magazine.com/submit
Unsolicited submissions? Yes
13. Silk Road
Silk Road Review: A Literary Crossroads publishes one-act plays, poetry, short stories, screenplays, essays, and artwork. They are particularly interested in plays that explore diversity, migration, international issues, and unity, and look for voices of the “unheard.” Selected contributors receive $10 per page for written work, for a maximum of $250 per published piece.
Website: silkroad.pacificu.edu
Submission Guidelines: silkroad.pacificu.edu/submit
Unsolicited submissions? Yes
14. The Courtship of Winds
The Courtship of Winds is a free quarterly literary magazine that accepts short verse plays and one-act plays, in addition to poetry, fiction, short dramatic pieces, essays, photography, art, and short pieces of music.
Website: www.thecourtshipofwinds.org
Submission Guidelines: www.thecourtshipofwinds.org/info-on-submissions
Unsolicited submissions? Yes
15. The Playwrights Publishing Co.
The Playwrights Publishing Co. publishes the first part of selected works on their site for free; if readers are interested, they can buy a complete copy from the script shop and later acquire the performance rights if they would like to produce the play. Only playwrights whose work has been performed are invited to submit.
Website: www.playwrightspublishing.com
Submission Guidelines: Email [email protected] for copy of submission guidelines.
Unsolicited submissions? Yes
Publish Your Play
If you’re ready to find a home for your script, be sure to review our tips for writing a query letter—though it’s not a requirement for every publisher on this list, writing a great introduction letter can help you make a solid first impression.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 15 Tips for Writing Your First Play
- First Line Generator Tools to Help You Start Your Story
- How to Submit a Screenplay: 3 Methods That Work
- How to Publish a Book: The Ultimate Guide to Book Publishing in 2021
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
Hello! Can you submit a play to multiple publishers on this list? And then once it gets accepted, write a note to the others that it is no longer available for submission?
Good morning, I am trying to selling a drama play. The play is error free and about a pesky Jinn causing nothing but trouble for others dwelling within the community before they do something about it. The Jinn does not die but lives on to battle another day. I possess a bachelor degree in English. If interested then inform me as to where to forward the play to. I seek a literary agent or a person that I can send the play to for selling purposes. Thank you for your time and have a great day.
Hi Antony, unfortunately we don’t publish plays, but you might find our post on how to publish a play helpful :)
can kids publish plays
Hi Cathrine, yes, many publishers accept submissions from kids as long as an adult guardian can sign the contract for them.
Do TCK publisher publish play rather than novel?
Hey Aarav! Unfortunately, we don’t publish plays at this time.
Thanks for this great article, Kaelyn! I have never published a play before. This article gives me hope!
You’re very welcome, Paula! I’m so glad to hear it gave you some encouragement :)
Just as a further suggestion – SMITH SCRIPTS is open for publishing play submissions. We have published over. 700 scripts from across the world in the last year. http://www.smithscripts.co.uk
Thanks Paul! I’ll check it out and update the list :)
I thought this was excellent! Very helpful.
Thanks Mona, I’m so glad it was helpful for you! :)
Great article, Kaelyn. I’d like to publish it in the next issue of my newsletter, “Under the Radar.”
Thanks Fred, I’m glad you enjoyed the article! Feel free to link to it :)